C&VG
1st July 1987Army Moves
Right, lads, chests out, stomachs in, you're in the army now. The going's gonna get rough and tough. Only the fit will survive a battle with Army Moves.
C&VG has deployed its resources in force to battle it out with Dinamic Software's game for Imagine.
Brian 'Take No Prisoners' Webber became involved with fierce fighting which lasted days on the Commodore 64. Paul 'Shoot To Kill' Boughton launched a full frontal assault on the Spectrum version. Here's Brian's report from the war zone.
Wow! This is great! Army Moves is the one game I've played every single day, for at least an hour, since the copy arrived on my desk.
The game is split into seven sections, and comes in two loads, the second, I assume, is after level four because I haven't got past that yet!
You are a member of the Special Operations Corp, which has been picked to go into the enemy's camp, to retrieve some vital information, that could turn the conflict around. To get there you must negotiate many hazards, such as crossing jungles and deserts.
The first, four sections are basically scrolling shoot-'em-ups, in the same vein as Moon Buggy except that you drive jeeps and helicopters. Level five onwards is then on foot, trying to get the plans, and get back to the barracks.
That is basically it. A fairly run-of-the-mill storyline, and in some respects, a fairly run-of-the-mill game, but for some inexplicable reason, I am totally addicted to this. Yes readers me, the one who hates this type of shoot-'em-up.
The graphics, which although are not mega brilliant, do their job well, and from what I've seen of them are well above average.
Soundwise, again, this is above average, with a brilliant rendition of 'Colonel Bogey' that would put the original Monty Mole game to shame.
For the first few games, it might tend to be off-putting, but I found I couldn't play without it.
When you've completed the first section, you are given a code to enter, that allows you to load the next part. So send your codes to Ideas Central at the usual address.
Overall, this has to be about the best piece of software I've used in months, and at the price it's a steal. Miss it at your peril!
Now for Paul's frontline fighting facts.
Brian's filled you all in about the plot of Army Moves so I won't bother. The Spectrum version seems pretty much the same.
The graphics are pretty naff but that doesn't really matter. Army Moves is strangely playable.
It's hellishly difficult to get going. Your jeep approaches a whole in the birdge which it must leap. You can slow the vehicle down but you can't stop it. Just when you're faced with no choice but to jump the gap or plunge into oblivion, you see an enemy jeep heading towards you, or helicopters heading down to zap you.
Army Moves is nothing if not annoyingly addictive. I kept saying "I'll give it one more go". You know how it is? Thirty goes later you're still willing to give it a go.
Scores
Amstrad CPC464 VersionGraphics | 80% |
Sound | 80% |
Value For Money | 90% |
Playability | 99% |
Overall | 88% |
Scores
Commodore 64 VersionGraphics | 80% |
Sound | 80% |
Value For Money | 90% |
Playability | 99% |
Overall | 88% |
Scores
Spectrum 48K/128K VersionGraphics | 80% |
Sound | 80% |
Value For Money | 90% |
Playability | 99% |
Overall | 88% |